living by myself

So, I've learned and experienced the many pros & cons over the past month of living by myself. Some pros:

• House is cleaner...and if it is dirty, it's my own mess!
• Always have priority to family room & HDTV
• Utility bills are way cheaper, although I now have to pay them on my own
• I only wake up on my own accord, or my alarm clock (which is kind of my own doing since I set it)

Cons:

• No rental income
• It's sometimes nice to just have someone else around...now I don't have that
• Less stories

So, at the moment, I don't really have any good stories for my blog because outside of the weekend, this past week was fairly routine...go to work, come home. I did have an adventurous weekend though. Probably drinking a little too much each night, but having some fun, nevertheless. Did rattle off 7 straight, victorious games of beer pong. As most of you know, "winning" that many games in a row takes an effect on one's soberness - so we then lost our next 2 and I retired from the game for the night, immediately switching to water! Other than that though, still no good story for the blog. Alas, I'm stuck. But let me tell you what I am looking forward too....The Fall!!

Sometimes I feel as if the fall in Indiana can be better than the summer...especially the Sept/Oct weather when we get those 60-70 degree days, just perfect temperature. I love waking up on Saturday's with nothing too do except to devote my day to the TV to watch college football. Oh, and then I get to back it up on Sunday by watching the NFL, and now this year, going to the all 8 of the Colts home games! I love the first two weeks of September as the US Open is going on. I love the way the fresh fall air smells. I love following my fantasy football teams along w/ trash talking w/ my friends & coworkers about our teams. I love reading/listening to Bill Simmons NFL columns/podcasts. I love the random treat of playing golf in late October/early November when you thought the golf season was over but you get just a great day to go play. I love my new tradition of going to Athens, GA, in October to visit Craig and go to a SEC football game (Univ of Georgia). I love the anticipation of my Halloween party and what stories (that I can't share here) will come of it. I HATE RAKING LEAVES. I mostly love my job during this time as I get to mingle w/ college students in the form of career fairs, job interviews, and schmoozing dinner/drinks. I love picking up the tennis racquet come Oct/Nov and starting the indoor season. This fall I will love my 10-year HS class reunion, even though some of my good friends won't be there. I love the 5-day weekend in late November that is Thanksgiving. Goodbye August. Hello September! man this year has flown by

Thanks to all of you who voted in my jersey poll. I haven't fully made up my mind, but I'm still leaning towards Kelvin Hayden. I have 2 weeks to decide & buy.

No video this time...it's 11:30 and I don't have any bright ideas.

2009 Goal update

As most of you know, I started this blog w/ my original posting of my lofty goals for 2009. I then added the "Breaking 80" goal in April once I got the golf bug. And a quick update...

Goal #1 - Drink scotch/whiskey on the rocks, and enjoy it. DONE

It took a lot of practice, but I did it and can now enjoy a "drink" w/o having to suck it up and drink it. Having done this, I've also realized that I'd rather just drink beer...so don't get the wrong impression here. I'm not sitting in my chair every night drinking whiskey and smoking cigars. The point is though that I now could do it!

Goal #2 - Update the blog weekly. FAILED

Tax season made it tough and just being active in the summer hasn't helped. However, I did achieve Goal 2A, which was to have people other than my family read. I've liked the friends that have gotten involved w/ leaving comments....thanks for reaffirming that I'm not wasting my time.

Goal #3 - Break 80 on the golf course DONE!!!

August 14, 2009, I shot a 79 on the Sycamore course at Eagle Creek golf course. We played from the whites and its only about 6100 yds, but it counts! These days I'm typically playing from the blue tees at most courses anywhere from 6300 - 6700 yds. I backed it up this past friday w/ an 82 at Dye's Walk, which I had never played before. So, the golf game is going well right now.

Quick update on my poll question about which Blue Colts jersey I should buy. Thanks for all your votes and I've narrowed it down to 3 individuals: Reggie Wayne, Donald Brown, and Kelvin Hayden. I realize I didn't even put Hayden on the poll, but I think this is who I'm leaning towards. I love DB's and he just signed a 5 year deal....now if I can just find one!

Went to Cincinnati last night for the professional tennis tournament and saw Rafael Nadal & Novak Djokovic play. These are two of the top 5 players in the world for those of you who aren't huge tennis fans. Djokovic beat Rafa relatively easily, 6-1, 6-4. Fun match and good to see Novak play so well. I didn't care who won....I really just wanted to see a 3rd set. Also so the #1 doubles team in the world play (Bryan brothers).

Alright, big week this upcoming week, mainly because my fantasy football drafts start up tonight at Scott's house. I then have my work draft a week from monday. Love football season. Speaking of football, went to the Colts 2nd preseason game, so I was finally able to see my season ticket seats that I have w/ Dave. Very good seats in the corner of the end zone. Unfortunately I won't be sitting in these seats the rest of the year as I sold this pair of tickets for every game already, but it's ok...I still have my ticket w/ Adam on the other end of the stadium w/ basically the same vantage point.

Video of the week Seriously, how do you build a $1.2 BILLION stadium and not get this right? Well done...

Video #2 - for you college football fans, if you did not see this, you need to check it out. LET'S GO IRISH!!!! (Lou is possibly crazy)

quicky

Hey Everyone! I'd like to report that Michael Vick has just signed a 2 year deal w/ the Philadelphia Eagles. Oh, and Madden 2010 comes out tonight at midnight. And in more NFL news, I've sold my 2 Colts tickets that I have w/ Buell for every game this year (assuming Dave/Mo family's take my remaining 3 games). I of course have held onto the New England game, hoping both teams are undefeated or at least division leaders...definitely could get some cash for those. The Colts first preseason game is Friday night, but unfortunately I can't go due to traveling to Ft. Wayne (more on this later). So I need your help...I need to buy a new Colts "blue" jersey as Marvin Harrison no longer plays for us. I'd like your opinion, so please vote in my poll to the right. The results of this poll in no way will decide what jersey I decide to buy, but I'll give it consideration! The reason Peyton isn't listed is because I own a "white" Manning jersey already.

So I ordered a Wii last night online from Walmart mainly because they had a few "bundle" packages that I was able to get a free game or more accessories and still pay less than I'd pay going to the store or going to Target/Best Buy, etc... So anyway, I purchased it at 5:30 Wednesday evening and selected normal shipping. My receipt said it would ship in 7-10 days (to my office). Well at work today I got a call from our receptionist that I had a delivery from Walmart...yep, it was delivered a mere 16 hours after I ordered it. Oh yeah, and I can buy Madden this weekend....sweetness! It's been 2 years since I've bought a Madden game, so I'm pretty excited!

For an update from my last posting, my 4.5 tennis team won the Central Indiana tennis champtionships last weekend. Very good match, but our experience (i'm youngest guy on the team) overcame the youthful team we played (oldest guy they had was maybe 25). Me and my partner (53 years old) played their #1 team and won 6-3, 2-6, 10-5 tiebreaker for the 3rd set. We are playing for the state title on Saturday up in Ft. Wayne. I've never been this excited to go to Ft. Wayne, except for maybe Landon's wedding last summer. I'm looking forward to the match...this is the furthest that I've personally made it in league post-season. If we win the state, then we host the Midwest Regional at the Indianapolis Tennis Center next weekend. Hopefully we get that opportunity!

Nothing much else to report. Playing golf for work both Friday (Eagle Creek) and Monday (Bridgewater CC). Never played Bridgewater before, so very eager to get out on that course!

Everyone have a good weekend!

where to begin...

Alright peeps, i'm lying in bed w/ no shirt on (that's for all the ladies, er, except for any family), listening to some 38-Special (for Diddy), DJ Sammy (Utterback), E-Money (everyone, because we all love Eddie Money), some Akon (Buell), Coldplay (Scotty & Sara) and even some back-to-back Neil songs have creeped up (see, even something for you Dad). It's definitely bloggin time!

JFC, a lot has happened in the past 8 days. Where to begin.... let me take you back to the US Senior Wednesday practice round. So this was Day 2 of me heading out there. This time Dr Scott Cline accompanied me. Two highlights for the day, besides the obvious highlight of being out at such a beautiful course surrounded by great golfers. First, of course Scott and I had to hit up the golf simulator and tackle the Par 3 160yd 14th hole at Bethpage Black. You get 3 shots at it...unfortunately I didn't hit a hole in one or anything, i think my best shot was 35ish feet from the cup, but it was good enough to dominate Scott, so that's the important thing. Second highlight was Scott and I walking down the par-4 4th hole, which is kind of in a secluded part of the course, so not many people were around. Naturally we were holding hands since we were on Scott's dream man-date so I had to make him feel good, but we quickly were distracted by a golf ball that was hit in our general direction and came to rest in the left rough underneath a tree. Now the reason there was really no one else around besides us is because it was John Ward's foursome. For those of you who don't know who John Ward, don't feel bad, we didn't either...but he's probably the coolest golfer out of the Denver, Colorado area. How many of you have your own golf website?? And to further cement himself into greatness, he invented his own putting system.... So what if he didn't make the cut because he shot an 81 in Round 2... Anyway, back to why I bring up Mr. Ward. Scotty and I were interrupted from our romantic walk down #4 fairway by his ball coming to rest on the left side of the tree trunk. In the practice rounds, typically the pros would just move their ball back out to the rough/fairway and hit a normal shot in since they don't really keep score. However, as he came over, we said that he should play the shot? He then looked back at us and asked what type of shot he should hit along w/ club selection. Now, with my girth of caddie experience I gained caddying for Austin in the qualifying round of the 2003 Indiana Amateur, I knew he was about 200 yds out and could run his ball up near the right side of the green, so I calmly said, "see that window, you can punch a 3-iron through it and run your ball up to the right side of the green. His response, "Aw, what the hell, let's give it a try." Sure enough he pulled the shot off, nestled it up within a few yards of the green, about holed out his birdie chip and had a tap-in par. At that point he told his caddie he was fired and told me to get on the bag. Of course he was joking, but it made our day...yes, Scott said a few things too, but Johnny Ward obviously knew I had some caddie experience which is why I got the nod over Scott.

Scott and I went back out to round #2 on Friday as well and had Pepsi Suite/Tent tickets, so we had free food/beer, which was awesome. I once again dominated Scott on the par-3 14th hole @ Bethpage on the golf simulator. Unfortunately for Scotty, I put one within 10 feet and at that point of the day was 8th place for all contestants for the day. We ended up following our favorite Senior PGA golfer Johnny around a little bit on Friday, even saw him birdie his first hole of the day, which at that time cemented him as a darkhorse shot to win, but then he proceeded to shoot 10-over the rest of the way....so much for John Ward. Friday was a great day at the course. Norman and Funk were putting up awesome scores and the galleries were pretty big following them. Great day!

So the city championships for my 4.5 tennis league is this upcoming sunday, so I've been playing a lot of doubles recently w/ my team in preparation. For those non-tennis people, there are basically two "levels" above the level I play at, and then the level after that is basically considered a low-level professional. I think my team has a good shot of winning. If we win, we advance to the state finals up in Fort Wayne the following weekend. After that we would move onto the Midwest tourney against the state champs from the surrounding states. I've never made into the post-season before, so this is very exciting for me. 10:30 at IRC-Dean Rd on Sunday morning if anyone wants to watch a has-been play some dubs.

Got a new sofa and chaise chair thingy for my family room. It's kind of like a light chocolate color and actually matches the room fairly well. I was a little worried about that at the store because, well, basically I'm a straight guy, so matching furniture w/ other colors and pieces of furniture isn't a skill that I have in my repertoire (I dare any of you to try and work in "repertoire" into normal conversation, but since I'm such a skilled writer it just comes naturally to me.)

Hmmm, went to the Cubs/Reds game in Cincy this past Monday. Cubs won 4-2, but the frickin bullpen made it interesting again in the 8th/9th. However, they are tied w/ the Cards for first place in August...life isn't all bad for the north-siders.

Marko and Jenny are due in September (Marko is my old college roommate/teammate for those who don't know him.) Well they are having a "couples" baby shower and of course I'm invited. Unfortunately i'm like the only single guy on the list of invitees....seriously, what the hell am I supposed to do at this thing? Fortunately i don't have to pick out my own gift as the hosts are organizing a big gift from the whole party. So I just have to pay my share of the gift, so I dodged a bullet there. Laramore, the other single guy invited, better go....in fact, I may go kidnap him and force him to go w/ me.

And last but not least, i have some potential good news on the way. Even though living by myself is great, it isn't as financially rewarding as say having two roommates pay my mortgage for me. Since I'm the luckiest guy I know, of course a roommate has magically fallen into my lap. So I think I'll have a new roommate in the next month or two....nothing official yet, but it seems promising. Vegas, here I come! Mom, if I win some money at the tables, I may even be able to afford to buy you an X-mas present!

Video of the Week - it's long (10 minutes), but very funny and comes to you via Andy Roddick's twitter account. If you don't like tennis and don't have a sense for how fast a 145 serve would be to hit, then don't waste your time... I feel if me or one of my buddies made it big, we'd do stupid videos like this weekly...it'd be in our unwritten/understood entourage contract!